Allen Iverson – the king of cornrows and that killer crossover, not to mention an indiscriminate shooter from the hip and the lip – is as good a place as any to start a heated debate, because he’s one player guaranteed to ignite countless arguments regarding everything right and wrong about pro hoops.

I’m here to argue if the Nuggets want to take a shot at greatness, their immediate trade discussions should begin and end with two words.

If Kroenke craves a championship as badly as I think he does, then the Nuggets should do whatever it takes to cut a deal for Iverson, the 31-year-old point guard who has worn out his welcome in Philadelphia.

The Sixers and Denver have been linked in trade rumors regarding Iverson for months.

There have been billows of smoke, but no fire.

It’s time to get serious.

Philly desires a stout defense and the measure of sanity that A.I.’s exit could provide. The Nuggets desperately seek a scorer to take the pressure off Melo.

So trade Denver center Marcus Camby and point guard Andre Miller for Iverson.

How’s that for a blockbuster deal?

Could Philadelphia, undoubtedly open to the possibility of trading Iverson, benefit from the shot-blocking of Camby to anchor its defense and appreciate Miller’s steady hand running the Sixers offense? Yes.

Would any NBA team be more fun, sell more tickets throughout the league and have more popular jerseys across the nation than Denver, if Iverson and Anthony were the marquee names? No.

Here’s the logic.

Add Camby and Miller to the Sixers, Philly returns to the playoffs and maybe team exec Billy King saves his job.

By teaming A.I. with Melo in Denver, the Nuggets put the fizz back in the Pepsi Center.

So let’s do this deal, and I will waive the consultation fee.

OK. We all know, that for his salary of $17 million, you roll the bones with Iverson and risk crapping out.

Mixing his personality in a locker room can be like spiking a party with gin and juice. It’s crazy fun, but trouble waiting to happen.

Hey, that is George Karl’s headache, not mine. Isn’t ego management why Karl earns the big bucks to coach Denver?

When A.I. knocks down 35 points, ever hear the squeals of delight that fill an NBA arena? Small children and women love him. Dilberts who suffocate in a cramped office cubicle from 9 to 5, however, see Iverson’s tattoos and take it as a sign of the apocalypse.

Even if you can’t stand A.I., it’s hard to deny his talent as an unstoppable scorer.

Iverson might not be too keen on practice or enjoy wearing a plastic smile to fan appreciation night, but pound for pound, does any man pour more blood and sweat into a game?

A.I. weighs maybe 165 pounds with that chip on his shoulder. His defiance is a competitive strength and curse to any coach.

But consider this: During 10 NBA seasons, has Iverson ever run alongside a player he can truly trust to carry the load? No, a broken-down Chris Webber does not count.

Give A.I. a little dose of Melo, and it might be the perfect chill pill for the NBA’s angry little dude.

There are those in the Nuggets organization who would argue Camby and Miller are too high a price to pay for Iverson. The deal would force Nene to play full time at center, a position where his rough edges would require more polishing.

Although their professionalism would be sorely missed by Denver, please remember the injury-prone Camby is headed toward his 33rd birthday and the deliberate tempo preferred by Miller is far from a perfect fit in the wild Western Conference.

While Iverson and Anthony grab headlines and make noise, maybe disgruntled forward Kenyon Martin and Karl could quietly kiss and make up rather than part in a messy divorce that would force the Nuggets to trade Martin in distress.

Rockies all-star shortstop crushed his 100th career homer against the Orioles Friday night at Coors Field. The blast was a mammoth shot that had some history behind it as Story is now the fasted shortstop on MLB history to 100 home runs.